I, Data
by jsk
Summary: Data finds himself all alone in the Universe


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DISCLAIMER: "Star Trek" is the copyrighted by Paramount, and Paramount  
owns Star Trek and the Star Trek Universe. The following story is   
not-for-profit.  
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I, Data  
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(c) Jasjit Singh, March 1999  
  
I am Data. I am alone in the Universe. I have been functioning  
for millennia. I have memories dating back to the day that Dr.  
Nunian Sung created me, and gave me life. An android. An  
artificial lifeform, created by a human. A human seeking  
immortality. I have existed from that day, when the United  
Federation of Planets was at the height of its power, until now.  
I exist, even now, when no humans are left alive anywhere in the  
Universe. The human species became extinct a little over ten  
centuries ago. It was something that could not be prevented.  
Despite all my efforts, I could not save them. The last living  
human died in my arms. I still remember his voice, his face,  
and most of all, his eyes, as he breathed his last.  
"Don't let us be forgotten, Data," he had said to me. "Don't let  
humans be forgotten. As long as you live, we will live. You were  
made in our image. You will be here, to tell those who come after  
us, of our existence, of our lives. You must not let us be lost  
in oblivion. Promise me, Data."  
  
He was desperate, he was close to death. I did everything I  
could to sustain his life. But my efforts were in vain. He  
died shortly thereafter. And after him, there were no more.  
The human species, was extinct.  
  
When Doctor Sung created me, he provided me with built-in  
protocols that determined my behavior, as well as an ethical  
program which allowed me to determine right from wrong.  
Throughout the course of my history, these have been my  
guiding light to humanity. In a crisis situation, my  
first autonomic response is to protect and preserve human  
life. My second autonomic response is to protect and  
preserve my own life. I will not, at any expense, allow  
a human to be harmed. During the time that followed after  
the last human died, I often asked myself the following  
question. In allowing the human species to become extinct,  
had I failed in my programming, and thus in my fathers  
expectation of me?  
  
The planet Earth, once a safe haven, and capital of the  
United Federation of Planets, was invaded by conquering  
alien forces, again despite all my efforts. For a brief  
time I was able to elicit the cooperation of my brother,  
Lore, to mount an offensive strike against the invading  
forces. But we were unsuccessful in our attempts at  
retaking Earth. Lore and I parted company shortly after  
our attack on the alien forces. He was unable to comprehend  
my need to preserve what was left of humankind. I believe  
Lore hates humanity, as much as I cherish it.  
  
Shortly after their occupation of Earth, the alien entities  
began systematically destroying all the remaining evidence  
of human-kind on the planet, and converting it to suit  
their own living conditions. They changed the climate  
and weather patterns of the planet to be more compatible  
with their biology. All human-made structures were  
destroyed, and alien buildings were erected in their  
place. Any records of human activity, electronic or  
written, were purged. Humanity was, in effect, being  
wiped out. For my part, I had not forgotten my promise,  
and continued to work on a plan to reclaim planet Earth,  
to preserve what was left of the memory of the human race.  
  
It was a long time before I was successful. There were  
many failed attempts. But eventually, after reaching a  
negotiated agreement with a breakaway group of cybernetic  
beings known as the Borg, we mounted an attack that even  
the ferocious alien beings could not withstand, and we  
retook Earth. Although a lot of human history had been  
obliterated by the aliens, there were still a lot of  
artifacts and human history that could be salvaged from  
the planet. I took up residence on the abandoned planet,  
and began my work of cataloging and documenting my  
findings. I added all new information that I gathered  
to my existing database of human history. My task was  
still not complete. I still asked myself the same  
question, had I failed humanity in allowing their  
extinction to come to pass?  
  
This morning, there is a beautiful sunrise. It took  
me several decades to fully appreciate the aesthetic  
quality of a sunrise or a sunset, but when I really  
and finally understood it, the feeling was quite  
overwhelming. Ever since I reclaimed Earth from  
the conquering alien forces, I have watched the  
sun rise every day. It is a beautiful sight to  
behold.  
  
I have had time to restore the ecological balance  
of the planet. The atmosphere, the temperature,  
the climate, the weather patterns, the oceans.  
This planet is rich in plant and animal life.  
It is, just as it was, before the alien forces  
invaded it.  
  
Today is different. The sun shines more brightly  
than it did before. There is a brisk breeze blowing.  
The birds are singing. There is expectation in the  
air. There is anticipation. I return to my laboratory.  
It has been three hundred years since I began my work here.  
Now, finally, I believe I have succeeded. It is an  
exhilarating moment, and for me, an answer, and a final  
vindication that I have not failed my father. When Doctor  
Sung created me, he provided me with built-in protocols  
that determined my behavior. In a crisis situation, my  
first autonomic response is to protect and preserve human  
life. I will not, at any expense, allow a human to be  
harmed. I will not, at any expense, allow a human to  
be harmed.  
  
I walk slowly into the laboratory. I know that everything  
is complete. All that is left is to instruct the laboratory  
computer to begin the countdown sequence. I take one last  
look at the laboratory that has become so familiar to me.  
It has served its purpose well. When I have completed my  
work, I will no longer need it. The sun is rising on this  
beautiful day. On this beautiful planet.  
  
The countdown sequence begins. I stand back, and watch.  
  
Ten  
  
Nine  
  
Eight  
  
Seven  
  
Six  
  
Five  
  
Four  
  
Three  
  
Two  
  
One. . . Initiating conversion sequence. Conversion  
complete.  
  
Silence. I am watching the center of my laboratory.  
Slowly, the hatch door opens. This will be disorienting  
at first, I know. That cannot be helped. Slowly, ever  
so slowly, as the mist clears, a hand emerges. He steps  
out onto the cold concrete laboratory floor, unsteady  
at first. He blinks with newborn eyes, adjusting to  
the light and temperature. He stumbles, but does not  
fall. He is a fully grown biological human male. I  
have been successful in my experiment. From the  
recombinant human DNA, I was able to clone an  
adult male. Earlier experiments had failed. The  
ingredient of life was missing. It has taken me  
three hundred years, but I have finally succeeded.  
In the hatch that sits next to his, lies a human  
female clone, waiting to be awoken.  
  
He steps forward, awkwardly, unsteadily. He is  
still not fully awakened to his existence. I  
will have to teach him everything from the basics  
of language to warp propulsion. That is of little  
concern to me. I have vast databases filled with  
enough knowledge for several hundred lifetimes.  
But he is alive. He is breathing. He is human.  
In a crisis situation, my first autonomic response  
is to protect and preserve human life. I will not,  
at any expense, allow a human to be harmed. I will  
not, at any expense, allow a human to be harmed.  
The crisis, is over.  
  
He looks at his hands. He shivers, realizing his  
nakedness. He looks up at me. I step forward and  
smile.  
  
"Greetings," I say. "I am Data."  
  
  
T h e E n d  
(c) Jasjit Singh, 1999  
  



End file.
